


Lights will guide you home

by lovejwy



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, Fairies, Fairy Jung Wooyoung, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I want to protect them both, Jung Wooyoung is a Sweetheart, M/M, Might add more tags later, Other ATEEZ members will be mentioned, This is mostly going to be fluff ngl, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Witch Choi San, Witches, pinky promises, side hongsang
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:01:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23085940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovejwy/pseuds/lovejwy
Summary: After that day, Choi San refused to use magic ever again. He ran away from the life he used to know. Magic left a painful mark on his memories, and he wanted nothing to do with it.So what was he going to do when a helpless, magical creature stumbled upon him, claiming to have lost it's way home?ORFairy!Wooyoung stumbles upon Witch!San after running away and San offers him a hand to find his way back home. Somewhere in between, they fall in love.Note: Slow updates!
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Kang Yeosang/Kim Hongjoong
Comments: 33
Kudos: 118





	1. Lost

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> I haven't written a fic like this in forever, so I hope it's not too much! I can't promise I'll update regularly, since I'm pretty busy these weeks, but I'll do my best to post whenever I get the chance!
> 
> Note; English isn't my first language, so I apologise in advance for any grammar mistakes.
> 
> Enjoy ♡

_San can't remember how long he has been walking._

The evening is nearing, he concludes by the sky above him slowly turning a deep shade of blue. He has to admit, he feels like his legs are going to give out anytime soon, so he decides he should find a spot to sleep and get some rest. He doesn't know where he is heading to anyway, he never does.

Ten years ago, sometime in August —San remembers vividly—, is a time San wishes he could forget. Ten years, and to this day it still haunts him sometimes, it will bother him in his sleep and wake him up, gasping for air in the middle of the night.

_San's parents were witches, some of the best ones out there. They were widely known for their talents, but also targets for anyone who wanted to do evil. Anyone who felt threatened by their power, annoyed by their kindness._

_Up until San's eleventh birthday, his childhood had been, what you could say, pretty much perfect. He grew up learning about his parent's magic, loved hearing heroic stories of how his dad had saved their hometown from an attack of a different clan, how his mother used her magic to help others in town. They didn't have much, but were always so selfless. He was sure his parents were his biggest role models._

_San got introduced to his own powers at the age of ten, and his dad taught him everything a small witch in learning had to know about controlling it. By the age of eleven, he excelled at it. But it wasn't that surprising, though, considering who he learned his best tactics from._

_He loved magic, always making his parents smile fondly when he rambled about wanting to be as good as them, to do as good as them._

_San was eleven years old, when all of that got stripped from his life, harshly, painfully, without a warning._

_One evening, mid August. San was tucked in bed, his mother had just sang him a good night song and pressed a kiss on his forehead to keep the bad dreams away. He was so close to dozing off, until he heard banging on their front door downstairs. He didn't think much of it at first, maybe his parents had invited someone over._

_That was, until he heard the first screams. Loud ones._

_San shot up in his bed, listening in horror as he heard his dad shouting, then his mom screaming, and then— everything stopped._

_Little San grabbed his knitted blanket tightly, small hands shaking as he heard footsteps going around their home._

_A few minutes passed, and when all the noises seemed to have stopped, the thumping footsteps gone, San hesitantly stepped out of his bed, his blanket wrapped around his little frame._

_"Mom?" He tried once he stepped foot outside his bedroom door._

_No response._

_"Dad?" He tried a little louder this time._

_Again, nothing._

_San dragged his feet over the carpet in the hallway and carefully made his way down the stairs. And oh, how he wished he never did. How he wished he just stayed in bed and had fallen asleep. How he wished this was just a really, really bad nightmare. The sight made the little boy burst into tears._

_He screamed, called for his parents, crouched down and sat next to their lifeless bodies, trying to shake them awake in the hopes they were just asleep. But nothing worked and San was growing desperate, tears flowing down his cheeks in waves._

_After what felt like half an hour, he had stopped crying, his small body spent and tired. They weren't going to wake up, he knew that. He felt hopeless, helpless. He didn't want to believe it._

_With an aching heart, he got up, dragged himself towards his room and grabbed his father's old backpack (He had given him it after they went camping in the forest a few months prior). He took some of his clothes and the knitted blanket and pushed them into the bag, stuffing it full and got back down._

_He had to get out of there._

_San bent down next to the bodies, giving both his mom and dad a teary kiss on the cheek before he bid them a final goodbye._

_And then he ran, scared for his life, through the streets and as deep into the forest as his small feet would let him._

_After that night, little San refused to use magic ever again._

_Everything else was history._

It doesn't take San long to find a spot amidst the forest that looks comfortable enough —as comfortable as forest floor can get— and he drops his bag. He gets his trusted knitted blanket out of it and throws it over his shoulders. The blanket is a bit torn on the edges, the material worn, considering San has dragged the piece of fabric around for the past ten years, but it is still big enough to cover himself with and keep him warm at nighttime.

He collects some stray rocks and places them in a circle right next to where he plans to sleep, then covers them with pieces of dried grass and sticks that are lying around the place. With a trained flick of his wrist, the pieces of wood catch fire.

He holds his hands close to the fire to gain back some warmth he lost after sundown and lies down. He stares at the fire for a bit, mentally cursing himself for using magic, but he knows he has to if he wants to survive by himself. Especially since the early Spring nights are a bit chilly, and just a blanket isn't enough to keep him warm.

Once done with thinking, he moves around a little before he settles, closing his eyes as he allows sleep to wash over him.

San wakes by the sound of rustling bushes. It's distant, but still close enough to hear. He sits up, the fire he made had almost died down. He rubs his eyes tiredly, and then he hears it again.

He jumps up, grabbing his small, hand-crafted dagger from his bag as he looks around, his posture defensive. The sound of wood cracking gets closer rapidly, and then he sees it.

A person.

But with wings.

"Wings?" San mumbles to himself, his body a little less tense than it was before.

The person, creature, whatever it is comes closer, and once it's in his line of sight the creature stops dead in his tracks, eyes blown as they meet San's.

And San has to do a double take.

The boy has wavy, purple hair, soft features, and a single mole decorating the skin right under his left eye. Behind him, the glow of his soft green wings light up the air around him. He is beautiful, to say the least.

San knows he's staring, and big brown eyes are staring right back at him.

A fairy. San has never seen one before, that's for sure. He always thought his mother made them up, to feed his childhood fantasies and keep his imagination alive, but right before him is one, in the flesh.

And he's looking rather terrified.

"P-please don't hurt me." The fairy spoke eventually, eyes trained on the dagger in San's hand. Once San realizes, he quickly drops the dagger on his bag and puts his hands up to show the fairy he's harmless.

When the fairy visibly relaxes, he takes a careful step closer.

And- wait.

Has he been crying?

"Are you okay?" San asks hesitantly, feeling an urge to comfort the boy in front of him. He looks vulnerable. The question makes the fairy's bottom lip quiver, eyes tearing up again.

"N-no, not really." The boy sniffs.

"Talk to me." San says, voice careful not to scare the creature away. The fairy takes a deep breath.

"I-I'm lost."


	2. Promise

"I-I'm lost."

San wants to give the poor fairy a hug. He looks broken, scared. But San doesn't, for all he knows the creature could be deceiving him, trying to get something out of him, and he isn't going to fall for that so easily.

In the past ten years, San met countless of people while he was wandering, but not all of them were as nice as he hoped they would be, he learned over the years. San knows better than to blindly trust anyone he meets.

But now he's stuck in this situation with a fairy who seems to be very distressed and on the verge of tears, and San wonders if anyone could fake the fear the creature has in his eyes.

San sighs and sits down on his blanket, motioning for the fairy to take a seat aswell. The fairy hesitantly joins the witch on the forest floor across from him and holds his legs close to his body, wings slightly curling around him in a protective manner.

The fairy watches with wide eyes as San lights the fire in front of him, the same way he did a few hours prior. With magic. San feels the other's eyes burning holes in his skin and looks up, eyes meeting the fairy's instantly.

"Y-you're a witch?" The fairy asks, voice a little raspy from exhaustion.

"Sadly, yeah." San shrugs, sitting back to pull his blanket over his shoulders.

It's silent for a minute or two, neither of them knowing how to start talking. San is the first to break the silence.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but, why are you running around the forest in the middle of the night? Or, flying, in your case."

"I ran away. From home." The fairy sighs.

"How come?"

"I-I had a fight, with my parents. It was pretty bad and I didn't know what to do so I flew as far as I could to get some fresh air and to be alone, but I shouldn't have. When I wanted to go back home I couldn't find my way back, every road I tried to take would bring me back to the same spots, as if I was flying in circles. I don't know how long I've been gone. They must be worried about me." The fairy says sadly, avoiding San's eyes as his gaze is focused on the fire in front of him.

"I think you should get some sleep." San suggests. The fairy looks at him in question.

"You seem tired, and it's late. You'll feel better in the morning after getting some rest. Continuing your journey home at this time of day probably isn't the best option. Forests at night can be dangerous, too." The fairy nods, understanding.

"But if they are, then- then why are you here?"

"Because." San simply says, not really wanting to talk about it. The fairy senses the shift of the air around them.

"Sorry. Sensitive topic?"

San smiles weakly at the remark, and the boy catches on quickly. It's the first time that night, something like a smile adorns the fairy's face, even if it's just a sympathetic one. He likes it, better than the distressed look the fairy was sporting before.

"Anyway," San starts, "You can worry about your way back home in the morning. It's no use to keep going when you're tired. I don't want you passing out halfway through." The fairy sighs in response.

"I guess you're right." He admits.

"Here." San says then, holding his trusted blanket out in front of him. The fairy looks at him, dumbfounded.

"Why?"

"Take it." San insists.

"Aren't you going to get cold?"

"It's just for one night, and you look like you need it more than I do right now." San hints at the goosebumps visible on the fairy's forearms.

"Oh. Thank you." The fairy bows slightly before he lies down, trying to make himself comfortable. San does the same, and watches the fairy struggle with the blanket for a bit until he's settled. They're facing each other.

"Can I ask you something?" The fairy sounds hesitant. He seems to calm down, though, and it makes San feel more at ease, too.

"Sure."

"What's your name?" San grins.

"San. Choi San."

"Like, mountain?" The fairy asks, voice soft and laced with sleepiness.

"Like mountain, yeah." San confirms. The fairy smiles at that.

"I'm Wooyoung." He reaches out to San and they awkwardly shake hands, as their current position and the distance between them isn't exactly ideal. It makes both of them laugh.

"You should go to sleep, Wooyoung-ssi. We can talk more tomorrow."

"Okay, yeah." The fairy nods. "Good night, San-ssi." San hums in return. He watches as the fairy closes his eyes and once his breathing evens out, San allows himself to fall asleep aswell.

A warm brightness on his eyelids is what wakes San from his slumber, rays of sunlight hit his skin through the branches of the trees above him. He has to hold a hand before his eyes as he opens them, careful not to hurt them.

He blinks once, twice before he's aware of his surroundings. He looks over to where the fairy was sleeping, and he seems to be awake already. Wooyoung's face is hidden in his hands, and he's talking to himself. San can barely hear him, but he catches some words.

"Wooyoung?" San tries.

"I'm so stupid," The fairy mutters to himself. He doesn't hear San calling for him, "You're an idiot, Jung Wooyoung. A dramatic, overreacting-"

"Wooyoung." San interrupts him, a little louder this time. Wooyoung looks up at the raise of his voice, whatever he wanted to say next caught in his throat.

"Oh, San-ssi. You're awake." Wooyoung blinks at him.

"Are you okay over there?" San snorts lightly.

"Dandy." Wooyoung smiles, not too convincing, but San lets it slide. The fairy sits up and runs a hand through his lilac locks.

"Why are we in the middle of the woods again?" Wooyoung looks around their current spot. Nothing but trees and some bushes surround them.

"Well, I am always here. You fled your hometown." San shrugs. Wooyoung looks up at that.

"What do you mean, always? Don't they miss you at home?" He asks, genuinely concerned. San hasn't had anyone ask him that before. He quickly brushes it off.

"I don't think so," San sighs, "But, enough about me, we should find something to eat before getting you back home."

"Getting me home?"

"I'm not letting you travel by yourself. Not after last night."

"But, you don't have to." Wooyoung protests.

"I insist." San offers the fairy a smile. The fairy seems to think about the offer. There's a beat of silence before the fairy speaks again.

"Are you sure?"

"Very. Besides, I haven't traveled around much these weeks, I'm up for something else."

"Well, okay then!" To San's surprise, Wooyoung's face lights up almost immediately. It makes him chuckle.

"There's a small village about a mile away from here, we can go there to get something to eat first." San suggests.

"How do you know it's there?"

"I'm always here, remember. I know my ways out of here, too."

"Okay, that's fair. Do you think they'll accept fairies into their town?"

"I've met werewolves and other shapeshifters there before, I don't think they'd look up from a fairy." Wooyoung nods.

"I've never been to villages of other kinds before, my parents never allowed me to go that far from home," Wooyoung says a little sadly, but then he squints his eyes at San, "Wait, how do I know if I can trust you?"

"Well, if I wanted to harm you, I could've done it last night, or in your sleep. But I didn't, did I?"

"You have a point," Wooyoung considers, "But how do I know you didn't do it to earn my trust-"

"I'm not going to murder you, Wooyoung-ssi." San rolls his eyes.

"That's exactly what a murderer would say." Wooyoung pouts and crosses his arms.

"I'm serious!" San laughs.

"Then promise me." Wooyoung shoves his pinky into the other's direction. San shakes his head, smile still on his lips. He finds the fairy's innocence endearing.

"I promise." San curls his pinky around Wooyoung's, sealing the promise, and the fairy sighs in relief.

"Now that's settled, we should get going. The sooner we leave, the sooner you'll be home."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." The fairy nods and stands up, brushing some dirt off of his trousers before handing San his blanket.

San stuffs it in his backpack, and makes sure he leaves nothing behind as they begin their little journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off I want to say, thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Updates after this one will come slower, though. But as mentioned before, I'll try to update whenever I get the chance.
> 
> Have a good day/night ♡


	3. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry for taking so long,, I had a huge writer's block, and the release of animal crossing didn't really help on the writing part, oops. Apologies in advance if it's a bit messy, the grammar might be off at some parts.
> 
> I hope it's somewhat enjoyable, though!
> 
> ♡

"San-ssi, when will we get there?" Wooyoung whines.

They have been walking —flying, on Wooyoung's behalf— for about twenty minutes now.

"We're almost there." But the fairy lowers himself to the forest floor, making the witch stop in his tracks, too.

"You're not still going to murder me, right?" Wooyoung asks then, and San just laughs at him.

"I thought we were over that already." San turns to continue their walk, and Wooyoung trails after him.

"But you're not denying it!" The fairy accuses, but as soon as his words are out, the forest seems to come to an end, a small town clears out in the distance.

As they get closer, Wooyoung flies ahead of San, curiosity taking over him. He settles between the trees at the edge of the forest, holding on to one of them as he looks at the little village.

"Wah." Wooyoung looks at the sight in fascination.

"Let's go." San gently nudges the fairy by his waist, urging him to move forward. Wooyoung spares him a quick glance and nods, following behind San as they enter the village.

The village seems to be a medieval one, houses built out of wood and roughly placed bricks, giving them an old look. In the streets, small stands for food and other necessities are displayed.

The small town is full of life at this time of day, and Wooyoung is sure he hasn't seen anything like it before. Sure, he's been to markets in his hometown, but this isn't quite like he knew them.

The majority of the villagers are witches, there's little kids running around, playing with magic. But, like San had mentioned earlier, there are shapeshifters and even hybrids, too.

The fairy examines the place, the people, and looks around him in awe as he follows San.

San stops in front of one of the fruit stands on the side of the road, and Wooyoung realises it a little too late. He bumps into his side, making the witch look up at him. They share a look and Wooyoung quickly apologises.

"It's fine." He reassures. San digs in his pockets for some coins and buys a small bag with different kinds of fruits. He thanks the lady behind the stand and mutters a "Let's go." to the fairy.

The two boys settle on a bench just a few meters away from the market. San hands the fairy an apple from the bag and takes one himself as well.

They eat in silence, neither of them feeling the need to talk. San watches the fairy happily munch on the fresh fruit as he takes in all the new faces and surroundings. It's an endearing sight, and San allows himself to stare for a little bit, take in the creature in front of him. 

In daylight, the fairy looks even prettier, San decides then. He seems to glow a little more, light lavender colored hair looking more lively in this light, skin just a little more golden. His nose curves cutely and a single mole adorns his bottom lip just like the one on his cheek, something he couldn't have noticed at nighttime. He looks soft, delicate. Exactly fitting his mother's description of fairies in his bedtime stories, yet even more ethereal than that.

Wooyoung must've noticed the other's eyes on him, and their gazes meet almost instantly when he looks over his shoulder, but the witch doesn't budge. San simply smiles at the fairy, making the other flush, eyes dropping to his feet. The moment is short-lived, though, when a high-pitched voice interrupts them.

"Mom! Mom, look! Is that a fairy?" In front of them a little girl points at Wooyoung, her other hand holding onto her mother's tightly.

"Sweetheart, it's rude to point at people." The mother says. She offers the two boys a small smile, and they smile in return. The girl drops her hand but still moves excitedly as she examines the fairy.

"I want to have wings too, mommy! They're so pretty." The little girl says then, she seems to be in awe.

"Of course you do, honey. Let's go, dad is waiting." The mother continues walking, and the little girl waves at them before she follows her mother. Wooyoung waves back and stares until they're out of sight.

"I like it here," Wooyoung chuckles, "Do you come here often?"

"Just every now and then, for food, mostly." San says, and Wooyoung nods, eyes soon back on the village and it's people. The two finish their fruits before San grabs his backpack and opens it, stuffing the remaining fruit in it.

"Are you ready to go?" San asks and the fairy nods. San throws his bag over his shoulder and gets up, Wooyoung is quick to follow.

It's been two hours since they've left the village. Wooyoung had given San a description of his hometown earlier, and it seemed they still had a long way to go.

_"Do you remember how long you've been wandering?" San asked when they had just settled on walking._

_"I-I don't remember, maybe two sundowns? Before yesterday."_

_"Oh," San frowns at that, "That's longer than I thought."_

_The fairy scratched the back of his neck and smiled weakly, "Yeah."_

"There's something I've been meaning to ask." Wooyoung breaks the silence first. The two are currently settled by a small lake that goes through the midst of the forest, taking a short break to rest before they continue.

"Shoot." San says, eyes focussed on the lake in front of them.

"How long is always?" This makes San look up. He tilts his head in question.

"What do you mean?"

"This morning, you told me you're always here, in the forest. But, how long has it been?"

"Oh."

"If you don't want to tell me that's fine, though!" But San figures telling one thing probably won't hurt.

"I think it's been about ten years."

"Ten years?" The fairy asks in disbelief, eyes wide as he stares at the witch. San looks at him and only nods.

"That's- that's long." Wooyoung frowns.

"I guess. But it's fine, I'm used to living like this."

"Don't you miss the town-life?"

"Not really," San smiles, "I mean, the first two years were hard, but I found my peace in here."

"I don't think I'd manage if I were you," Wooyoung chuckles, "I love my hometown, and I kinda miss the people around me. It's so.. quiet here." The fairy sighs.

Ironically, silence falls upon them again, but it's comfortable, calm, given their circumstances. More often than not, San finds himself feeling at ease in the fairy's presence. It's been long, years since he felt like this, but his gut is telling him he can trust him, even though they've known each other for such a short period of time. And it should probably scare him, but for some reason it doesn't. Something about the fairy is just so.. Peaceful. He can't really name what it is, but it's definitely there.

"I remember this spot!" Wooyoung cheers.

The fairy leads them further around the place, a small but open field of grass, the seemingly endless forest surrounding it, "I slept here on the second night, next to the rocks over there." He points towards two large rocks across from them. The sun is almost settling, blue sky slowly turning into a deep shade of orange.

"We can stay here for the night, if you're okay with that-" Wooyoung starts, but then there's a loud thump, and a curse soon follows, voice unmistakingly San's.

"F*ck!" The witch yelps.

"San?" Wooyoung turns to see San kneeling, hunched over as he clutches his wrist, hissing in pain. The fairy gets to him quickly and bends down until they're on eye-level. It's then when he sees a small drop of blood trickle down his arm and the fairy's eyes widen. San feels the other's concern and speaks up.

"Tripped over some rocks back there. My wrist caught my fall and- F*ck, it hurts!" San bites his lip, a frown making his forehead wrinkle. Wooyoung drops to his knees in front of him.

"Give me your arm." He says then.

" _What?_ "

"Give me your arm." Wooyoung repeats, voice a little harder this time, but still gentle. San's eyes meet his and the fairy raises his brows, waiting. San hesitantly sticks his wrist out, cursing once again at the movement.

San watches as Wooyoung suddenly places his palms on the wound on his wrist, making the witch hiss at the contact.

"What are you doing?" San asks, a little distressed but genuinely curious.

"I didn't get to tell you yet, but every fairy is born with one single power. You usually inherit it from one of your parents, or it's a mix of both. The power you're born with affects the color of your wings, too." Wooyoung distracts him for a short moment.

"And-" _hiss_ , "And yours are green?" San's voice is hesitant, his mind still focussed on the pain in his wrist.

"It means I'm a healer, my mom is one, too. I got my power from her. This may sound stupid to you, but my dad was born with the ability to talk with animals."

"You're kidding." San snorts, slowly starting to forget about the pain.

"I'm dead serious!" Wooyoung deadpans, making the other grin.

"It sounds unrealistic."

"Hey, you can practice magic, too! Nothing is unrealistic in this world."

"I guess you're right about that." San shrugs.

"Anyway," Wooyoung smiles to himself as he recalls his memories, "My mom would fix dad's bruises whenever he managed to pick fights with random animals. He isn't the best with words, to say it like that. Maybe that's why they match so well. He'd get into trouble and my mom would be there for him to heal his wounds." The story makes San smile, too.

Before he gets a chance to reply, though, Wooyoung releases his wrist. San looks down at the skin of his forearm, the air around it littered with glowing, green specks, which die down a short moment after. His eyes go wide as he sees it, the wound is completely gone, pain long forgotten.

"How does it feel? Does it still hurt?" Wooyoung asks in slight concern.

"You- what? Did you-" San turns his wrist a few times, inspecting his skin in disbelief. The fairy sighs in relief.

"Words, Sanie." Wooyoung giggles, accidentally letting the nickname slip.

"It's gone? The wound is gone? You- that's amazing. You're amazing." San says in his fascination, making the younger blush at the compliment, the tips of his ears slowly turning red. And San notices.

"Flattered?" The witch quietly remarks, a smirk threatening to make it's way onto his lips.

"N-no." Wooyoung covers his ears with his hands, but it's no use as the heat quickly spreads to his cheeks, painting them with the same color.

"You're blushing, though." San coos.

"Am not!" The fairy quickly stands up, avoiding San's gaze.

"Cute." The witch laughs.

"Shut up." Wooyoung pouts, crossing his arms, still not looking at the other, and San just shakes his head, the smirk still on his lips.

He could get used to this.

Whatever it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading ♡


	4. Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> This chapter is a little longer than the previous ones! I originally made it even longer oops, but decided to divide it in two seperate chapters, so here you go.
> 
> Enjoy ♡

_San recognises this place, almost like the back of his hand._

_The houses still look the same, everything is as bright and colorful as he remembers, yet the streets are empty. It's odd. He keeps walking, looking around the place that holds some of his dearest memories._

_He stops in front of a small house at the end of the street, one that he hasn't seen in years. A house he used to call home._

_It's then when he sees them._

_"Mom? Dad?" San tries, the figures inside of the house turn to look at him, faces way too familiar. It stings._

_"San, angel." His mother smiles, arms open and inviting._

_"We've missed you, young one. Come here." His father adds._

_The boy smiles, flooded with all kinds of emotions, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He starts walking towards them, as fast as his feet allow him._

_But no matter how long he keeps going, he never reaches them._

_The distance only seems to get bigger the faster he walks, runs at this point. It's been minutes, minutes feeling like hours, and his body is about to give out soon, but somehow he Can't. Stop. Running. The boy grows more desperate as he can't seem to reach them._

_The voice of his mother calling out to him slowly starts to break his heart all over again, and he can't stop the tears that spill from the corners of his eyes._

_He just wishes to see them up close again, hold them and make sure they'll never leave him again, but nothing happens. The distance between them doesn't decrease no matter what he does, and big steps turn hopeless. He slows down, ready to give up, realising it's no use._

_"San?" A different, but familiar voice fills the air then. San stops in his tracks, looking around him to find where the voice is coming from. He harshly wipes the tears off his cheeks with his sleeve._

_"San." He hears it again, and slowly but surely his vision starts to fade, picture of his parents nearly out of his sight. The boy stresses, trying to cry out to his parents once again, but nothing comes out, and then his vision turns black._

" _San_." He hears it again when he finally comes to his senses.

The witch carefully blinks his eyes open, warmth on his cheeks as Wooyoung's palms are cradling them, thumbs running over the skin underneath his eyes. The fairy looks at him in worry, bottom lip stuck between his teeth.

"Wooyoung?" San mumbles, voice a little raspy from not being used the past hours. His chest feels heavy, and his throat is dry. He swallows.

"You're awake," Wooyoung releases a breath he seemed to be holding and relaxes a bit. He lets go of his cheeks and sits back, "Are you okay? You started breathing really heavily and you cried in your sleep. I couldn't get you to wake up sooner and, it scared me."

"I'm sorry." San doesn't like the frown that's on the other's face. He rubs his eyes and sits up, facing the fairy.

"Nightmare?" San nods.

"Wanna talk about it?" Wooyoung offers, but San shakes his head.

"Not really." San smiles apologetically, but Wooyoung understands.

"It's okay. It's still pretty late, will you be able to fall asleep again?" Wooyoung is right, the sky above them is still deep blue, clouds covering some of the stars that manage to peek through them. He clears his throat.

"Yeah, it'll just- take a little bit." San takes a deep breath, not exactly looking at the fairy. Wooyoung nods.

"Take your time."

"You should go back to sleep, too, though." San says, but Wooyoung crosses his arms.

"Not until you do." The fairy says, determined. San wants to say something, but he's too tired to argue now. He lets himself sink back to the forest floor, but with the fairy still looking at him, he can't get himself to close an eye. Before he can speak up, however, Wooyoung is already ahead of him.

"San?"

"Yeah?"

"I hope you won't think I'm too much for asking but, can I- Can I give you a hug? I understand if you'd decline but, my powers aren't limited to healing wounds and bruises only."

"Hm?" San hums in question. Wooyoung hesitantly scratches the back of his neck, something he seems to do a lot when he gets nervous, San noticed.

"What I'm trying to say is, a healer's touch can be more comforting than others. We heal more and deeper than just physical pain when we need to, and maybe it can help you sleep better, just for tonight." Wooyoung suggests.

Wooyoung hopes he hasn't crossed a line, if the silence is anything to go by. This is only the second night since they've met, he's aware. But his worries soon disappear when they make eye contact, San nodding carefully.

"Okay, you can." He says, a little unsure, but he figures it will probably not do him any harm.

"Okay." The fairy smiles. He carefully lowers himself next to San and scoots closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He pulls the witch close to his body, fingers instinctively reaching up to his hair and he runs them through the boy's black locks. San allows himself to close his eyes, and he finds himself calming down in the other's embrace almost instantly.

It's been long since San has had this kind of contact with anyone, barely remembering how it felt to be held like Wooyoung is holding him now.

The last time was a day before _it_ happened. His mother had fallen asleep with the boy splayed out on her chest, fast asleep as well. His mother came home late that evening, exhausted, and San had climbed into bed next to her, snuggling close like he usually did when she came home from a long day out of town. His mother held the little boy close to her in a protective manner, and they had fallen asleep like that.

It all comes back to him so quickly, the memory hitting him like a wave crashing into shore.

It's overwhelming.

Soft sobs fill the air around them a moment later, but Wooyoung doesn't say a word. He only holds the boy closer and lets him cry until his breathing finally evens out, sleep taking over him. Wooyoung follows shortly after, an unspoken promise of keeping the witch safe floating in the back of his mind.

San wakes up before Wooyoung does. He's still trapped in the fairy's hold, soft snores and the sound of birds chirping seem to be the only things around him.

He can feel the skin around his eyes is still a little warm and puffy from crying a few hours prior. He rubs his eyes and carefully wriggles himself out of Wooyoung's embrace, the latter stirring in his sleep.

"Wooyoung." San gently pushes the fairy's shoulder, trying to wake him up.

"Five more minutes, mom." Wooyoung mutters in his still, half-asleep state. It makes San laugh, and he tries again.

"It's morning, we gotta continue soon."

Wooyoung whines, hands coming up to hide his face in them, "'m tired."

"You can sleep as much as you want once we get you home." San crosses his legs and gets a hold of his bag.

Wooyoung finally blinks his eyes open, meeting San's with a small smile. He yawns and stretches before he sits up, now on eye-level with the witch.

"How did you sleep?" The fairy asks as he runs a hand through his hair, trying to fix his tousled locks.

"It was okay, I guess. A bit better I admit." San shrugs. He rolls up his blanket and attempts to shove it into his backpack.

"I'm glad to hear that." Wooyoung says, relieved.

"Here." San hands the fairy a piece of fruit that he just grabbed out of his bag. The fairy bows as a 'Thank you' and they silently eat their fruits.

"I don't think we have too long to go. I slept at this place on my second night, so we could reach home by tomorrow." Wooyoung says once he finishes eating.

"Well, lets hope we do. I can understand you're tired of forest floors, and living on fruit."

"Meh, I've slept on worse, and I don't mind the fruit. But I must say, I do kinda miss my bed."

"See, there you have it." San snorts.

"Shush." The fairy waves dismissively.

"Ready to go?" San stands up, throwing his bag over his shoulder. He sticks a hand out to the fairy, lifting him to his feet, and he nods, dusting some stray pieces off grass off of his clothes.

"Lets get going, then."

"So, wizard-man-" Wooyoung starts. They haven't been back on track for more than half an hour, but the fairy is already getting bored.

"First of all, please, never call me that again." San warns weakly.

Wooyoung giggles, ignoring his not-so-convincing threat, "Tell me about yourself? We have to keep ourselves entertained somehow, or just keep me entertained, whatever."

San agrees, "What do you want to know?"

"Anything. Favorite color, favorite flower, hell, maybe even the name of your first pet," Wooyoung throws his hands in the air, gesturing aimlessly, "Intrigue me."

"Well, to answer your questions, purple, lilies, and Byeol."

"Byeol?"

"The cat I owned when I was younger." San tells him.

"It's a cute name. Fits the owner." Wooyoung smiles. San looks up at that, but quickly brushes it off by clearing his throat.

"How about you?"

"Hm," Wooyoung puts his finger on his chin in thought, "Don't be too surprised when I say black, sunflowers, and I've actually never owned a pet before. I've always wanted a dog, though. But owning pets that don't fly, as a fairy, is just unpractical."

"Understandable."

"Also, my dad is an issue. Like I said, being able to talk with animals doesn't mean you get along with them. He tries, he really does, but somehow he never manages. So no pets for me it is, until I get to live on my own."

"You still live with your parents?"

"Yeah, I have a hut all to myself but it's basically under my parents' roof, so I still go by their rules," Wooyoung explains, and San simply nods, understanding, "Anyway, next question!"

They go back and forth like that, trusting each other with some small yet personal details.

San tells him how he loved to dance when he was younger, always making his dad play him music so he could move along with the rhythm, and how he nearly set his own house on fire trying to learn the fire spell he now masters. They're all happy and light memories, some San had almost forgotten until Wooyoung asked him about them.

And he learns about Wooyoung. How he loves it when it rains, claiming it's his favorite type of weather. How he's curious for things he probably shouldn't be, and often does things on impulse. How he broke his leg one time because he flew into a wall trying to chase a bird (It's not his proudest moment, but it makes San laugh, so that's something), and how he has always wanted a little brother or sister to take care of and be a role model for, because, "Being an only child is nice but, it gets boring. When I see other siblings fooling around with each other I kind of envy them, to be very honest. I want to be an important part in someone's life, someone to look up to, you know?"

"I bet you already are, though. Maybe not in a blood-related way, but you're good."

"Hm, I guess I just never notice."

Details that might not seem like they're a lot, but are things they cherish, things that give their lives some structure. Little experiences that make both of them just a bit more interesting.

All the things San learns from the fairy, somehow make him even more endearing.

They still have a long day ahead of them, but in the fairy's presence, San finds himself not really caring about the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading ♡


	5. Acceptance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> Back with another chapter, a longer one this time, too!
> 
> Enjoy ♡

The sun settles once again.

The fairy tells San he knows where they are, and that it wouldn't take more than an hour to arrive home, but they still agreed to call it a day, considering how long they've been wandering already. San's legs feel like they're going to give out soon, so they will take the final steps in the morning.

Right now, Wooyoung sits cross-legged in front of the witch, watching him gather rocks, stray sticks and dried grass to make them a small fire like he did both nights before. San kneels then, arranging the items so he can properly light them up.

"You don't use magic often, do you?" Wooyoung asks, but the question sounds more like a statement.

"Not really." San shrugs.

"I figured," He nods, "Please, don't get offended, but you look- Inexperienced. All witches I've encountered use magic for pretty much everything, yet I've only seen you make fires, twice."

"I mean, you're not exactly _wrong_." The witch admits, making Wooyoung chuckle.

The fairy moves to lie on his chest, quiet as San lights the fire in front of him. Wooyoung stares at the flames for a little bit, how they seem to be dancing but never really leave their spot. The fairy closes his eyes and takes in the warmth, not noticing how the witch's eyes are on him for a little bit.

San lies down next to the fairy. He pulls his blanket out of his bag and places it over them. It's silent even with the occasional chirp of a cricket, the wind rustling the leaves on the trees above them, and the cracking of fire burning up small pieces of wood.

"You know, sometimes I wish I had different a power." Wooyoung breaks the silence. He isn't looking at San, eyes trained on the fire as he speaks.

"Why's that?" San asks, curious.

"Being a healer can be- Quite exhausting." Wooyoung turns away from the fire and moves around until he's lying on his back, still not meeting the other's gaze.

"It's a beautiful thing, though, being able to help out others. To me it is, at least." San adds.

"And you're right, don't get me wrong, that's a thing I love about it. But my powers are limited to healing only, and sometimes I wish I could control water or make flowers grow or even cast fires like my friends- and you can do. Being a healer comes with a lot of responsibilities," Wooyoung sighs then, almost longingly, "I just want to feel carefree every once in a while, like a normal guy who's just in his twenties, but I feel like I barely can." San doesn't know what to say, not expecting this confession, but Wooyoung continues before he can respond.

"I had a fight with my parents because I told them exactly that. They called me ungrateful, more things that probably mean the same thing, I don't really remember. But I didn't take it too well, obviously." Wooyoung shakes his head, laughing to himself. San frowns.

"My mom and I are some of the very few fairies in town with healing powers, so we take care of most fairies when we need to. My mom owns our town's doctor's hut. I help her out sometimes when her own two hands aren't enough, and I'm really only trying my best to do so," Wooyoung pauses to take a deep breath, "But sometimes I don't exactly know what to do and I get scolded for my lack of knowledge, even though I'm no expert or even want to be one. I never chose this healing path, but the choice was never mine to begin with. It was just- Expected I'd follow my mom's steps, to be as dedicated and to love it as much as she does, simply because I was born with this power."

"That's- I understand it can be hard." San feels for him.

"I shouldn't be complaining, though. Healing _is_ a beautiful thing and it's considered one of the rarest powers one can inherit, so I suppose I should be grateful. But sometimes, I can't help but think about how communicating with animals would've been a nice trait, too."

"Wooyoung, look at me." San's voice is stern, but careful, and the fairy turns to finally look at him, surprised at the change of tone.

"I know it can be hard to believe now but, your feelings are valid, so don't try to invalidate them by giving in to what you're being told. You are your own person before you're anyone else's, alright?"

"I-I don't know about that, San."

"And it's okay not to know, for now, but staying in this mindset will do more harm than good in the long run. So think about it, what you really want. I don't want you to beat yourself up for something _you_ can change. It's your life, and not theirs to control."

"I will." Wooyoung's eyes don't leave the witch. He didn't expect to be confronted with these words, but he realizes something. What it is exactly, he doesn't know yet, but he knows that it hits him a little differently.

"I don't know if it helps, since we just met and I don't know half of the things you've dealt with but, speaking up about what bothers you requires courage, and you have already taken that first step. So, I'm proud of you for that. Really."

"Thank you," Wooyoung whispers, eyes still locked with the witch's when he speaks, "For all of this. It means a lot."

San smiles at the fairy, "We should call it a day." The fairy nods and San stretches, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders. He's about to close his eyes, allow himself to doze off, but Wooyoung interrupts him before he can do so.

"San?"

"Yeah?" San looks at the younger, who seems to be in thought. He struggles for a second, squeezing his eyes shut as he speaks.

"Would you mind cuddling again?"

San can't tell if it's because of the fire or if his eyes are simply deceiving him, but he swears the fairy's ears tinge a darker shade of pink. _Cute_.

"I- Uhm, it made me sleep a little better, too." Wooyoung admits. San chuckles.

"Sure." San opens his arms for the younger, inviting him into his space.

Wooyoung rolls on his side, and they exchange a brief smile before said boy places his head on San's shoulder, right arm going over his stomach to hold him by the waist. San feels his heart jump when Wooyoung's nose brushes against his neck, warm breaths softly hitting his skin.

And maybe they are a little too close right now, considering how they've only met each other two nights ago, But San doesn't mind it as much as he thought he would- or probably should. It's a nice, comfortable weight on his chest. And he missed this feeling, being able to hold someone this close, so sue him, really.

"Mhm, good night Sanie." Wooyoung moves around until he's comfortable, and San lets him, lavender hair tickling his jaw until he finally settles.

"Night." San mumbles, carefully placing a hand on the arm that's resting on his stomach and he closes his eyes, joining the fairy in a peaceful slumber.

San wakes up the next morning by a few light shoves to his shoulder.

He groans and blinks his eyes open, greeted by the fairy who's slightly hanging over him.

"Woo-"

"I think someone's here," The fairy interrupts. He looks a little restless, "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" The witch looks at him, confused. But then there's crack, not too close, but within at least ten to twenty steps reach.

"There's definitely someone here." The fairy mutters, sitting up properly to look around them. San sits up, too, rubbing his eyes before he follows Wooyoung.

It doesn't take long for a figure to enter their line of sight. The two boys watch the stranger approaching, they're yet to be noticed.

But once the stranger is close enough to make out a face, Wooyoung's eyes widen.

"Wooyoung? Are you okay?" San looks concerned, hand on the fairy's shoulder.

"Sangie!" The fairy suddenly yells, startling the witch. The stranger looks up, too, the same look of realisation on his face when he sees them.

"Wooyoung? Is that you?"

Wooyoung stands up and hurries over, pulling the stranger —who, apparently, isn't that much of a stranger— into a tight hug. San watches the scenery unfold in front of him.

"You're alive! You've been gone for days, we were so worried about you." The boy, addressed as 'Sangie' earlier, says, hugging the fairy back just as tight before letting go.

"Sorry, I lost my way around here." Wooyoung's gaze drops to the forest floor, feeling guilty for worrying his familiars.

"It's okay. You're alive and well and that's what matters, okay?" The other reassures. It's then the brunet looks over Wooyoung's shoulder, eyes meeting San's.

"Who's this?" He asks.

"Oh, this is San! He stayed with me to help me find my way home." Wooyoung turns to look at the witch, urging him to come closer. San stands up now, too, and walks over to the duo.

"San, this is Yeosang, one of my best friends from back home." Wooyoung smiles. San bows as a greeting, but Yeosang just looks at him, as if inspecting him.

"You're a witch." He states then and San's eyes widen.

"H-how do you know?"

"I can sense you."

"You can what?" San asks, confused.

"Kind recognises kind, kid." The brunet explains.

"Oh San, I forgot to mention but, Yeosang is a witch, too! He has been living with us for the past six years, along with his cousin." San only gets a second to register the words until they're greeted by another voice.

"Petal? Who are you talking to?" It's a fairy approaching them, he's about Wooyoung's size but just a little smaller, hair almost a platinum blonde, the fairy's wings a bright purple, sparkling whenever sunlight reaches them. And he's also- Undeniably beautiful. It must be a fairy thing, San thinks.

"Wooyoungie is alive." Yeosang smiles as he reaches out to the fairy, pulling him closer by the hand.

"Hi, hyung-" Wooyoung starts, but before he can finish his greeting the other fairy has him wrapped in his arms.

"Where have you been? Oh my god, are you okay? Are you hurt?" The blond-haired fairy pulls back and inspects Wooyoung, looking for any damage.

"I'm fine, hyungie," Wooyoung giggles, "Just got lost."

"Just got lost? You've been gone for nearly a week! Don't you dare run away ever again, you scared us." The fairy scolds, softly hitting the boy's shoulder before pointing a finger at him.

"I won't- I won't, I promise."

The blond-haired fairy sighs as he hugs Wooyoung again, demeanor changing almost completely, "I missed you. My babies did, too."

"I'll pay them a visit once we get back," Wooyoung promises.

"Joongie, this is San," Wooyoung says as he turns towards the witch.

"San, this is Hongjoong-hyung," He introduces them.

"Pleasure meeting you." Hongjoong smiles, teeth on full display, a smile one could call contagious. The blond-haired fairy flies back to the other witch, holding on to his side. When their fingers lace together, San figures the two are a little more than just friends going around.

"We were out searching for wild flowers, Hongjoong wanted to find some for his garden. We're going back home in a bit, though. You can stay with us." Wooyoung nods, relieved.

San doesn't really notice the wordless conversation going on between the fairy and the other witch. Wooyoung gestures to San and Yeosang nods, and San looks up when Wooyoung finally turns to him.

"Do you want to come with us? You can stay for dinner, and I'll get you a proper bed set up." Wooyoung offers, catching him a little off-guard.

"I don't know-" San starts, but Wooyoung interrupts him, holding his lower arm with both hands. San glances at the hands around his wrist before meeting the other's gaze again.

"Please? Just for a night? I'd hate to leave you behind knowing I could have meant something to you." The fairy pouts, and San mentally coos at the sight.

"I-" The offer sounds very tempting, San admits, "Are you sure they won't mind?"

"I know we wouldn't," Hongjoong smiles, "Woo's dad, however-"

"I'll convince him!" Wooyoung says, determined. He turns back to San, "What do you say?"

"I-" San finds he doesn't really have a good reason to say no. He hasn't had a roof above his head or a proper meal in years, so letting this opportunity slip would probably be one of his biggest regrets later on. And San has to admit, the fairy left quite the impression on him. He wouldn't mind spending some more time with him, getting to know more about his life. So he nods.

"Okay. I guess a night won't hurt."

Wooyoung's face seems to light up almost immediately, happy with the response.

"Then it's settled!"

The two fairies lead the way, busy conversing and catching up with each other. Behind them, Yeosang joined San's side, hands in his pockets. He clears his throat.

"I know who you are." He speaks up, effectively snapping San out of whatever put his mind to work.

"What do you mean?"

"Choi San. Lost child of the Choi witches. Honestly, almost all of us thought you were killed the night of the attack, or taken hostage, at least. Pleasant surprise to see you alive, though." San looks at the other witch, trying to process what he's telling him.

"How do you know these things?" Yeosang grins at the younger's confused look.

"My aunt was one of your mother's clients. When she heard about the attack she told us about it, and my aunt knew your mother had a son my age, named San, who disappeared mysteriously and no-one could trace a body of."

"Oh."

"You've been living by yourself the past decade?" Yeosang asks, concern in his voice.

"Well, yeah. I think I didn't really have a choice, and I was scared of going back. What if they came after me, too?" San's eyes meet the forest floor.

"I understand. I'm pretty sure they won't anymore, though. It's been years, they must think you're dead by now."

San shrugs, "I guess so. I still don't want to go back, though."

Silence falls between the two witches. San lets his thoughts take over, thinking about how he left everything he knew behind out of fear and how he had to take care of himself even if he wasn't sure how to back then- but then he realises something.

"Wait," He starts, Yeosang's attention back on him, "You're a witch, too. So how exactly did you end up with fairies?"

"Well, San. I guess we're kind of similar in a way," Yeosang explains, "My cousin, Jongho, and I lost our families in an attack as well. But we were still under attack, even after they already took our loved ones from us. They followed us all through the forest, and at one point they caught up with us and left us there unconscious after putting some paralyzing spell on us. I can't remember most of that night, but Wooyoung's mom found us and took us in. I was fourteen at the time, Jongho soon to turn thirteen."

"Was your family seen as a threat, too?"

"Well, not that I know of. But we had suspicions the same clan who came after your parents had something to do with it, because we, as a small town only a few miles away from yours, had connections with your family. They attacked our village and quite literally burnt it to ashes. Only a handful made it out alive, including Jongho and I, I've heard."

"I'm sorry." Is all San manages to bring out.

"Don't be," Yeosang reassures with a small smile, "We never felt the need to return to our old lives. Sure, we had to deal with the fact we were orphans after that day and the first few weeks were very difficult, but Wooyoung and his mom and the other villagers helped us a lot with coping, and we were able to move on rather quickly. And believe it or not, but," Yeosang glances at the blond-haired fairy in front of them, who excitedly recites everything Wooyoung missed while he was away to said boy, "Even if life took some cruel turns for us, we're better off now than we were before."

San follows Yeosang's line of sight, understanding what he is trying to say.

"You're in safe hands, San." Yeosang pats the witch on the shoulder, "Have you told Wooyoung about this?" San shakes his head.

"No. When he found me he was very stressed, and we've only met three nights ago. Putting that weight on his shoulders would be too much and too soon, and maybe a little inappropriate."

"That's fair. But don't be scared to talk to him about it, Wooyoung will understand."

"I will, eventually." Yeosang smiles at him and nods.

The two witches continue the walk in silence, listening to some of the stories Hongjoong recites instead, how laughter fills the air from time to time. And San thinks about how the two —who were only strangers just a mere half hour ago— welcomed and accepted him into their little circle so easily.

San smiles to himself, a glimpse of hope blossoming within his chest. Maybe things will finally get better for him, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading ♡


	6. Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> A bit of a filler chapter, but I'll give you a fair warning, it's pretty much one big wordvomit of fluff. I might just be a sucker for cuddling, so sue me. There's a lot of it in here.
> 
> Enjoy ♡

"Yeosangie-ah, how did it go?" Mrs. Jung greets the brunet when he enters the living area of the Jung's shared hut.

The four boys had just arrived in their hometown. They received a warm welcome, especially Wooyoung, his friends hugging him, complaining about his actions but happy to see the fairy again. Some of them introduced themselves to San, and were amazed at the fact there's another witch in town now. Wooyoung would tell them about the little journey they had later, but he had to see his parents first, so they quickly continued until they reached his home.

"Hi mrs. Jung. Hongjoong is in his own hut, we found some flowers and he's taking care of them. But, we may have found something else while we were out." Yeosang smiles.

"Mhm?" The woman hums in question, mr. Jung who sits across from her looks up from his work now, too. Yeosang steps aside, and the first set of tears fall from mrs. Jung's eyes once the lavender-haired fairy enters the room. She shoves the stool she's sitting on back and runs over to pull her son into a tight hug.

"You're alive." The woman mumbles, sadness but relief in her voice.

"Hi, mom." Wooyoung smiles apologetically, hugging his mother back.

"Don't ever scare your dad and I like that again, do you hear me?" She whispers, holding the boy close to her chest as if she's scared he'll leave again. It breaks Wooyoung's heart.

"I won't, mom. I promise." He pulls back and gives his mother a kiss on the cheek.

"Son." His father stands next to them, and Wooyoung lets his mother go to give the man a hug as well.

"I'm sorry for worrying you. I never wanted to run away, or at least not go that far. I wanted to come back the same night I ran but I got lost on my way home."

"I'm just happy you're here now," The woman smiles a little weakly, still wiping the tears from her cheeks, "We'll talk about everything later, okay? Get some rest first." Wooyoung nods.

"Mom? Dad? I actually have a question." It's then Wooyoung's father sees the boy standing in the doorframe, eyes squinting suspiciously. Yeosang had already left the room to check up on Hongjoong, leaving San with the Jung's by himself.

"Wooyoung, who is this?" The man speaks, eyes never leaving the witch. San feels a little intimidated, and now he understands what Hongjoong meant earlier. _"Woo's dad, however-"_

Wooyoung looks back at San and motions for him to come closer.

"That's what my question is about. His name is San, I met him in the forest, and he stayed with me the past days," San bows to the older couple, and Wooyoung continues "He lives there all by himself and I wanted to ask if he could stay a night, or two."

"Wooyoung. You know what I think of strangers-" Mr. Jung folds his arms. Wooyoung reaches out to his father, holding his arm as he tries again.

"Please? Pretty please? He helped me out a lot and we have been sleeping on grass for days, the least I could do is offer him a shower and a bed."

Wooyoung's father looks at San again, a question slipping from his tongue.

"You're a witch, aren't you?"

"Uh- Yes, sir." San says hesitantly, the way the man is staring him down makes him nervous. The woman in the room notices the slight distress and frowns.

"Honey.." Wooyoung's mother nudges the older man, silently telling him to go easy on their son and the new visitor. His father sighs.

"Okay. He can stay for now," The man gives in, "However, if the boy causes trouble, there will be consequences."

Wooyoung excitedly hugs his father and mumbles a "Thank you." before stepping back to San. San bows to Wooyoung's parents again, thanking them as well.

"We'll be back in time for dinner!"

"Take your time, sweetheart. We'll see the two of you later." Mrs. Jung waves them off. Wooyoung nods, and turns to walk towards the door.

"Coming?" Wooyoung smiles at the witch, holding his hand out to him. San looks at it, then back at Wooyoung who tilts his head, a shy smile on his lips. San hesitantly places his hand in the other's, letting the fairy lead him out of the shared living area. If San sees a soft shade of pink decorating the tips of Wooyoung's ears, he doesn't mention a thing.

"First of all, we have to get rid of those clothes," Wooyoung points at the holes in San's shirt and trousers, "How long have you been wearing these?"

"Uh, pretty sure it's been years. I clean them, though." San shrugs.

"You can borrow some of my stuff until we get you new clothes." 

"Wooyoung, we don't have to-" San is about to protest, but the fairy lifts a finger in the air, silencing him.

"Shush, I don't wanna hear it," Wooyoung crosses his arms, "We are going to get you some new items tomorrow, okay?"

"I-" San starts, but Wooyoung raises his brows, clearly not accepting no as an answer, so the witch figures he should just go with it, "Okay. Thank you." Wooyoung hums, satisfied.

"Now, the shower is right outside of my hut."

"Outside?" Wooyoung laughs at the confused look on the witch's face.

"Don't worry, everything is completely covered so no one will see you."

"And you're very sure about that?" San looks at the fairy in disbelief.

"You're asking me this as if I haven't spent the past twenty years of my life in this hut," Wooyoung chuckles, "Besides, if you've been living in the wild for the past ten years I can only imagine how you must've taken showers or baths before," Wooyoung says while he rummages through his wardrobe.

"But I was alone back there, you live here, with multiple people."

"You'll be fine, Sanie," Wooyoung snorts. He finds some casual clothes he thinks the older would fit and hands them over, "Take these, I'll set your bed up for when you get back."

San sighs in defeat, "Thank you, again. You really don't have to do all these things."

"Nonsense. Now, wash up, I'll be right here when you get back." Wooyoung shoos him out of the room. San nods and makes his way out of the fairy's hut, finding the shower cabin right behind the hut quickly. He strips himself out of his clothes and settles under a warm stream of water, immediately feeling his muscles loosen up from how tense they seemingly were before. He sighs contently, taking in the calming feeling of the water hitting his skin for a bit, before he goes to clean himself.

San sets foot in Wooyoung's hut about twenty minutes later. The fairy is sitting against the headboard of his bed, glasses on the bridge of his nose as he's paging through a book. He doesn't notice San right away, but once he does, he's at a loss for words.

He knew the witch was good-looking, everyone with eyes could see that. But something about seeing the older in his oversized clothes, his hair wet and tucked behind his ear, sets off something in his stomach, something he can't exactly place yet. His throat feels dry, and he swallows before a fond smile settles on his lips. He ears one of the pages of the book he was reading and closes it.

"San, you look- Good. Better."

"I haven't felt this clean in years," San jokes, looking at himself in one of the mirrors in Wooyoung's hut. He runs a hand through his hair, rustling it a little bit to make it messy again. The witch moves around the hut and sits down on the bed the fairy had set up for him.

"I forgot how nice warm showers were," He mutters as he lets himself fall back, taking in the feeling of the soft, silky sheets, his body sinking in the material, "Or beds." He adds, closing his eyes. Wooyoung chuckles.

It's truly been long since San has felt this comfortable, a feeling so foreign yet so familiar at the same time. Without permission, but without holding them back either, San lets memories fill up the gaps in his mind, reminiscing about the place used to call home. He smiles to himself. 

He doesn't notice the tears that start to fall from the corners of his eyes, but Wooyoung does.

"San, are you crying?" A concerned voice asks him then. San carefully blinks his eyes open, meeting the fairy's gaze.

"No?" But the moment the word is out, San can't stop the tears from flowing, his bottom lip starting to tremble. He buries his face in his hands as he tries to control his sobs.

"Oh, San." Wooyoung skips over to the other bed and lies down next to the witch, pulling him into his embrace, a gentle hand guiding San's face to the crook of his neck.

"I-I'm sorry," San hiccups against the younger's skin, "Overwhelmed." He manages to bring out.

"It's okay, don't apologise for feeling." Wooyoung rubs his hand up and down San's upper arm in a soothing manner, cheek pressed against the top of his head.

"You smell nice." Wooyoung tries to distract the witch, and it seems to be working. San lets out a laugh and sniffs, a hand wiping the wetness from his eyes.

"I used your shampoo." San says dryly, as if it's obvious why.

"Which is why you smell nice," Wooyoung chirps, "I have excellent taste in fragrances."

San laughs, "That doesn't even make sense."

"It makes perfect sense to me." Wooyoung scoffs, fake offense in his voice. He pulls back so he can look at the witch, and they simply share a look. Wooyoung smiles, making the witch smile in return.

"See, that's better." The fairy says, close to a whisper. He gently flicks the witch's chin and sits up.

"Make yourself at home, I'll be out of the shower in a second. We can join my parents for dinner after I'm done."

"Okay." San nods, hoping he can ease the rapid beating within his chest before the younger comes back.

Wooyoung finishes his shower a little quicker. He steps back into his hut, a towel in his hands to dry his hair, and he's met with a sight so endearing, the fairy can't help the coo that slips from his tongue. On the spare bed, San is curled up, almost completely hidden under his knit blanket, and the boy seems to be fast asleep.

The witch looks calm, peaceful, but especially vulnerable like this, and the urge to protect the older tugs at Wooyoung's insides. He sits down on the bed next to San, lightly brushing some stray hairs out of the witch's face.

"Sanie, wake up." He whispers, leaning close so he doesn't have to speak up. San doesn't reply, but only squeezes his eyes together, a low hum coming from the back of his throat.

"Comfortable?" San nods tiredly, cheek brushing against Wooyoung's pillow, his eyes still closed. Wooyoung giggles, fingers carding through the witch's hair as he's slowly coming to his senses.

"You can sleep some more after we have dinner, okay?"

"Mhm." San pouts. Wooyoung watches him with fondness in his eyes, and brushes a thumb over the witch's cheek.

"You're a big baby, you know that?"

"Mhm, shut up." San groans, lifting a hand to rub at his eyes. He yawns, eyes blinking open carefully, adjusting to the brightness.

"The biggest baby." Wooyoung adds.

"I'll set your hair on fire." San warns weakly. He points a finger at the fairy, but is still struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Wow, I'm so scared now. What a threat." Wooyoung teases him. It's light, playful, and San grins.

"Maybe I should've just stayed in the forest."

He hears the fairy gasp, and feels the bed dip further next to him. Before he knows it, two arms circle around his neck, his cheek meeting the fairy's chest with slight force, "No way," Wooyoung protests, squishing the boy in his arms, "I wouldn't have the heart to leave you there."

The sincerity in the youngers voice, even when fooling around, is something he couldn't have possibly faked, and an unfamiliar but welcoming warmth spreads through his veins at the fairy's words.

And it should be uncomfortable, the position that they're in right now, but San gives in to the touch, too tired to care. He snuggles impossibly closer, the closest he can get, and sighs contently. His eyes close again.

"Can't we just skip dinner and sleep." The witch mumbles.

"As much as I'd love to, we can't, big baby," Wooyoung pulls back and gets a hold of the witch's arms, making him sit up with him in a swift movement, "You've been living on the bare minimum for years, it amazes me you're even alive. You need to eat."

"'M not a baby." San pouts. Wooyoung rolls his eyes.

" _San_."

"Okay, fine," San whines, earning a giggle from the younger, "Sleep after?" San says as he rubs his eyes once again, finally awake enough to make out the fairy's features, face only a few inches away from his.

"Sleep after," Wooyoung carefully grabs the witch by his wrist and curls his pinky around the older's, linking them in a promise.

"Let's go, they're waiting for us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading ♡


	7. Caring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still alive, hello.
> 
> I haven't updated this fic in forever. I was either not in the mood, too busy or struggling with writer's block 😅 So apologies for the wait!
> 
> I can't promise I'll be updating regularly again, but I wanted to at least put something up. It's just a short filler chapter and a little bit of wordvomit but I hope it's at least somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> ♡

"Ah, please take a seat, boys." The two are greeted by Wooyoung's mother, who left two empty seats at the dinner table.

Wooyoung's parents, Yeosang and Jongho are already seated. San remembers seeing Jongho when they had just arrived in the fairy's hometown, but they haven't gotten a chance to talk yet. So he decides to sit next to the younger's side, Wooyoung on his other.

"Jongho, right?" San asks carefully.

"Yeah, and you must be San then." San nods. Jongho leans in closer.

"Yeo told me about you," He whispers, "I have no idea how you survived by yourself for so long but I admire you. Good to see you're still alive."

"Oh. Thank you?" San didn't expect that. Jongho leans back, and gives the witch a gentle pat on the shoulder.

Once Wooyoung's mother finishes placing all the dishes on the dinner table, mr. Jung speaks up, breaking the silence.

"So, San, it was? I hope you don't mind if I ask you some questions." The older man in the room says as he slowly starts to fill his and his wife's plate.

"That's okay, sir." San nods. He feels the others' eyes on him.

"How long have you been living out there, in that forest?" Mr. Jung begins.

"For about ten years, sir."

"And how old are you exactly?"

"I'll turn twenty-one over the summer."

"And you've been living on your own all that time? You're rather young, kid. Was it your own decision?"

"I- N-no, it was not." San stumbles. He had expected the elder to be curious, but to say he was prepared to receive these questions, he would be lying.

"Did you get kicked out?"

"Dad." Wooyoung interrupts. His heart breaks when he sees the distressed look on the witch's face. San only shakes his head.

"Do you have any contact with friends or family then? Your parents?" San feels his breath catching in his throat and gasps shortly, his eyes widen at the question.

"N-no, sir," San trips over his own words again, hands grasping the fabric of his borrowed trousers a little tighter.

"San.." Wooyoung whispers. San glances at him, and he can see the witch's eyes start to well up. Before his father can open his mouth again, he clears his throat.

"Dad, I think that's enough for now." Wooyoung stands up, taking the witch's hands and pulling him up with him. He guides them to the kitchen, away from the others, and sits him down on one of the kitchen stools.

"Breathe, Sanie. In through your nose, out through your mouth." Wooyoung fills a cup with water and kneels down in front of the witch. San takes the cup with shaky hands, still trying to regulate his breathing. He takes a careful sip of the water, the tremble in his body starting to fade away over the minutes. Wooyoung takes the cup from San once it's empty and places it on the counter behind him before he squats in front of the witch again.

"You okay?"

"I think so." San nods almost unnoticeably.

"Do you want to talk?"

But San shakes his head, "Not now, I'm sorry." is all he says, and Wooyoung nods.

"It's okay. Whenever you're ready." The fairy smiles softly.

"Thank you. I don't- I don't deserve your patience."

"Hey, please don't say that. You've obviously been through a lot that you probably haven't processed yet. I just want to make sure you're alright."

"Why?"

"Mhm?" Wooyoung tilts his head, waiting for the witch to continue.

"Why do you- Do the things you do?"

"Well, I want to help you. If you've been alone for so long I can only imagine the times you must've needed someone to rely on, someone to talk to," Wooyoung reaches out to the witch, carefully holding both of his hands in his own, "I don't doubt it that you're independent, I mean, look at how far you've come. You had to learn a lot on your own." The fairy smiles, San hesitantly returns the smile.

"But I noticed how sensitive you are to certain topics and situations. I only want to make sure you know that, if you ever need to talk or anything, you can come to me, okay? I care about you, San." San nods.

"Okay."

Wooyoung stands up, the witch's eyes following him.

"Come here." Wooyoung smiles as he pulls San up with him, tugging the witch into his embrace. San buries his face in the fairy's shoulder, arms around his waist as Wooyoung's slip around the witch's neck. The warmth of the fairy's body against his calms him down almost instantly.

"You're not alone anymore, okay? That's a promise." Wooyoung says then, softly. San nods against his shoulder. They stay in comfortable silence like that a little longer.

"Wooyoung-ah, San?" Wooyoung's father interrupts them. The two boys pull away from each other to look at the man who's standing in the kitchen's doorframe. Once he has their attention, he continues.

"I would like to apologise. The questions I asked might have been too invasive."

"It's okay, Mr. Jung. You couldn't have known." San bows to the older man, offering him a small smile.

"I should know my limits, though. I still need to work on that it seems. I didn't intend to make you uncomfortable."

"Did mom talk some sense into you?" Wooyoung jokes. The older man simply shrugs.

"Will you two be joining the dinner table again? It'd be a shame for the food to go cold, your mother worked hard."

"We'll be right there." Wooyoung says. His father nods and leaves the two alone in the kitchen, Wooyoung turns to San.

"Whenever the time is right, you know where to find me, yeah?"

"Okay."

"Good." Wooyoung smiles, grabbing the witch's jaw as he leans in, standing on his tippy-toes to press a featherlight kiss to his forehead. The witch's cheeks effectively color peach at that, but either Wooyoung doesn't see it, or chooses to ignore it as he links their arms together.

"My mom is a terrific cook, you're gonna love it."

The two boys make it back to the dining area, taking their seats. San watches as the fairy's mother fills up his plate, not too much, since the sudden change of foods could twist up his stomach, but definitely a right amount to start with.

Wooyoung waits until the witch takes his first bites, and he can't help the giggle that falls from his lips when San's eyes widen. San looks up at Wooyoung, then at his mother, cheeks stuffed as he applauds quickly, liking the taste.

Their dinner goes smoothly like that, San happily munching on his food, while the others share lighthearted words, laughter filling the air. He looks over at Wooyoung, who is immersed in a conversation with the other witches present, laughing every now and then. It feels oddly comfortable.

And San realises, this must be the closest feeling to home he has felt in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading ♡


	8. Welcoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> Soft boys being soft for today. Finally there's a little bit more progress in the storyline, too.
> 
> Enjoy ♡

It's been a week since San got welcomed into the fairy's hometown.

He had originally planned to stay a day, max. two, but once again, the fairy managed to convince him to stay longer.

San must admit, though, that he doesn't mind staying. He was hesitant at first, not wanting to bother Wooyoung or his parents more, but surprisingly, they insisted.

In the passing days, Wooyoung had introduced him to his friends, Yunho, Mingi and Seonghwa. He learned that Yunho and Mingi both control fire and light, the duo always bright and bubbly, matching their powers, and they're pretty much attached to the hip. They're often called the moodmakers of their small, but close, group of friends, and after meeting the two, San understands why.

He got to know Seonghwa better through Hongjoong. Seonghwa helps the fairy with taking care of his garden, as his power is a waterbending type. Wooyoung had taken San to visit Hongjoong one of the first days of his stay, and Hwa happened to be there, too.

  
  


_"Joongie~" Wooyoung sing-songed as they entered the fairy's hut. Seonghwa stood by one of the big windows, tending some of the flowers Hongjoong had recently taken home. The fairy looked up at the younger's voice, and then eyed the witch._

_"Joong is out right now to grab some tools, he should be back in a few minutes." Seonghwa said as he came closer to the two, stopping in front of San._

_"I don't think we have met before, have we?" The older fairy asked, and San shook his head._

_"The name's Seonghwa." He smiled politely, reaching out to shake the witch's hand._

_"San." San replied in return, taking the other's hand. Seonghwa was a bit taller than he was, he noticed. His hair jet-black, messy bangs nearly falling over his eyes, giving him a soft look, and his wings were a bright blue color, glimmering behind him._

_"Nice meeting you, San-ah."_

_It didn't take long for Hongjoong to arrive after that. He entered the small living area through the back door of his hut._

_"Hwa, I'm back!" The fairy announced. When he sensed the others' presence, his face lit up. "Young-ah, you took Sanie with you!" Hongjoong beamed. He flew over to the witch and tugged on his hand, urging him to follow him, "I'm so glad you're here! Let me introduce you to my babies."_

_San opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something but not exactly sure what._

_"Don't mind him," Seonghwa smiled at the witch, "He always calls his flowers his children." A laugh escaped the fairy's lips at San's puzzled look. Hongjoong rolled his eyes at the remark and guided San by the hand to show him around his garden._

_Wooyoung stayed with Seonghwa, sitting on the counter next to the fairy where he resumed working on the flowers he was busying himself with before they came. Wooyoung swung his legs as he watched the fairy's ministrations attentively._

_"So, you took a witch home." Seonghwa paused to eye the younger. Wooyoung nodded._

_"Mom likes him, dad still has to open up a bit." Wooyoung said. He glanced out of the window over his shoulder. He caught the fairy pointing at a specific type of flower and started to talk animatedly about it, the witch watching in amusement._

_"Hongjoong vaguely told me about it, the meeting you four had." Wooyoung's attention was back on the older._

_"How come you trusted the first stranger you found out there? It's not like you." Wooyoung took a moment to think it through. Why did he exactly? Seonghwa wasn't wrong. Wooyoung knew better than to trust someone off the bat, knowing well people could take advantage of his kindness. But why was trusting San so easy?_

_"I think," He started after a good minute, "I think it's because he didn't hurt me while I was at my most vulnerable when I met him. He tried to comfort me instead. That made it easier for me to trust him, I suppose," Wooyoung shrugged, "Of course, I had my doubts at first but I guess he proved me wrong."_

_"I see." Seonghwa replied. Wooyoung leaned back, eyes falling on the duo outside again. They were crouched down in front of some lilies, Wooyoung remembered those being San's favorite. He watched as San carefully reached out to the flowers, the smile on his face growing wider._

_Wooyoung didn't realize he was smiling until he turned back, quick to snap out of it. Seonghwa looked at him, a look in his eyes telling him something he couldn't quite put a finger on._

_"What?" Wooyoung asked._

_"It's nothing." The fairy chuckled as he shook his head._

_Wooyoung didn't get the chance to reply when Hongjoong and San stepped back into the hut._

  
  
  
  


It's nearing night-time when Wooyoung and San reach Wooyoung's hut. They had been out all day, helping Hongjoong around his garden and later made dinner for their household, alongside Jongho, who San has really grown to like.

San had been slightly intimidated by the younger witch at first, but being around him longer made him realise he's just as loud and playful as the others, being the youngest after all. After getting through the shy but tough-looking exterior, Jongho is now comfortable enough to be himself around San, telling him stories and teasing each other that often ends with the two doubling over in laughter. He would burst into random songs at any given moment, San applauding him every time because, _"You can sing?!"_ , Jongho would just laugh at his remarks. During cooking he was play-fighting with the fairy, lighthearted insults flying between them as if it was the most normal thing. It was nice. He gives off brotherly vibes, and San enjoys being around him.

San toes his shoes off and lets himself fall on his spare bed with a loud sigh. The fairy giggles and sits himself next to where the witch is lying, instinctively reaching out to play with the other's hair. It's something that San had consented to after a bad nightmare on the second night of his stay, the fairy wanting to comfort him. And it became a regular thing after that, seeming it calmed the witch down, put him more at ease.

"You know, San. When I met you in the forest the other day I really didn't think you liked to be babied this much." Wooyoung grins as he runs his fingers through the witch's brown locks. San turns his head so he's facing the fairy.

"Guess I'm full of surprises." He mumbles, eyes hooded as sleepiness washes over him.

"Is that so?" San nods lazily. Wooyoung smiles.

"Did you enjoy yourself today?"

"Mhm, yeah. Your friends are nice."

"I'm glad you think so. 'M pretty sure they like you, too."

They sit in comfortable silence for a little after that, Wooyoung never stopping the motions of his fingers. San lets his eyes fall shut under the fairy's touch.

"Do you want to get back into magic, Sanie?" Wooyoung asks then, voice filling the quiet room. San slowly opens his eyes to look at the fairy.

"I don't know, Woo. I-I wouldn't know how to." San frowns.

"Well, when you were out in the garden I asked Yeosang and Jongho if they would want to help you, teach you how to control it and everything, and they are cool with it. So whenever you're willing, let me know and I can set something up for you."

"Wait, really?" San sits up, resting his body on his hands. Wooyoung's hands fall from the witch's hair at the movement, and he nods.

"That's- That's very kind of them." San feels stunned. They would do that for him?

"Think about it, yeah? Let's get some sleep first."

"Oh, yeah, okay." San nods, moving so he can lie down again.

Wooyoung gets up from the bed, changes into his pajamas and climbs under his own covers. He waits until San is ready so he can turn the lights off.

Once darkness settles in the hut, they bid each other good-night, silence falling upon them. San can hear the fairy turning in his bed a little restlessly for a good minute or two, probably not comfortable enough, he figures. But when he finally stops moving, he breaks the silence not much later.

"San-ah."

"Mhm?" The witch hums in return.

He hears the fairy mutter some words under his breath, barely catching any of them.

"What did you say?"

"Do you- Uhm," Wooyoung curses himself for getting nervous, the next words leaving his lips in one breath, "Doyouwanttocuddle?"

It takes San a few seconds to register what the fairy had said. He sits up then, looking into Wooyoung's direction.

"You.. Want to cuddle?"

"I-I mean, only if you're okay with that."

"Can I take my blanket?"

"Yeah- yeah, of course."

"Okay." The witch stumbles out of his own bed, walking over with the blanket clutched in his hands. He drapes it over Wooyoung's covers, adding extra warmth under the weight, and crawls into the fairy's space.

The soft, green glow of the fairy's wings makes the younger's features visible in the darkness, and he can make out a faint smile. One he returns before he moves almost impossibly closer, face hidden against the fairy's chest. He sighs contentedly once he feels a hand on the back of his head, keeping him in place, the other one on his lower back.

"'Night, Young-ah." San whispers. He feels a set of lips meeting the crown of his head, no other response given. 

It doesn't take long for San to fall asleep after that, in the comfort of the fairy's arms, and the familiarity of his blanket wrapped around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading ♡


	9. Grounding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hello!
> 
> So sorry for the late chapter, I wished I had gotten this out sooner. It's a bit on the shorter side, but I hope it's enjoyable nonetheless.
> 
> TW
> 
> I will put a trigger warning here, for a panic attack San will experience in this chapter. If it makes you uncomfortable, please only proceed at own risk. I'll put a little summary at the end of the chapter in case you'd rather skip it.
> 
> That being said, enjoy reading ♡

The next morning, Wooyoung and San sit at the dining table alongside Yeosang and Jongho. Wooyoung's mother had left them breakfast before she and her husband left the hut for their chores of the day.

So the four boys sit in comfortable silence, munching on the fresh, oven-baked bread Wooyoung's mother made this morning. It's San who decides to break it, however.

"I think I want to take up on the offer," He starts, "I-I want to try magic."

This effectively makes the other three males in the room look up at him. Wooyoung smiles, placing his hand on San's thigh as he leans in a little.

"Are you sure?" He asks gently.

"Yeah," San nods,"I took some time to think about it and I think I can do it. I want to do it."

"That's good." Wooyoung beams, lightly squeezing his knee in approval before he sits back.

"Well, if you're ready, we can start today," Yeosang adds, "Jongho and I were planning to leave for the fields to practice so you're more than welcome to join us."

Their morning goes smoothly like that, and about two hours later, San finds himself on the way to the field with the other two witches. Wooyoung didn't join them as he promised Hongjoong earlier he would help him with his garden.

On arrival, Yeosang leaves the two after he tells them he forgot to take some of the equipment to practice, so San ends up in the middle of the field with Jongho.

"San-ssi, are you familiar with any spells outside of casting fire?" Jongho asks him. San shakes his head.

"Not really- I mean, I was taught quite a few when I was younger, but I forgot how to perform most of them." San watches the younger who seems to be in thought.

"Hm, let's start with something simple, then. Have you ever tried recovering? Like, mending broken things?"

San nods. His father had learned him at the time, the memory both making him happy and a little bit uneasy, but he doesn't tell.

"Okay, good, then I'm sure we can get this down in no time." Jongho smiles at the witch, moving to rummage through the equipment they took with them. Once found what he is looking for, he walks back over to San. The item in the younger's hand is a small, clay vase, most likely made specifically for practicing spells like these. His father used to own one of those.

"We're gonna fix a vase today." Jongho announces. He puts the vase down a few steps away from them, and with a flick of his wrist, the vase falls apart, now shattered into smaller pieces.

Jongho joins San's side, and goes over the steps with the witch before he steps aside, watching the older intently.

"Follow your intuition!" Jongho adds at the very end. San gives him a nod before he eyes the broken vase again.

Here goes nothing.

San remembers doing as Jongho told, going through all steps over and over again, but why won't it _work_? A frustrated sigh leaves his lips when he tries again, the pieces of the vase moving slightly but it still remains as broken as ever.

"This is hopeless." San whines, ready to give up.

"You haven't practiced in a decade, San-ssi. Of course it's going to take a little longer," Jongho laughs at him, "Try to focus on the vase only. I get that going through steps is practical but you're thinking too much, I can see it on your face. Relax."

San sighs again, turning back to the vase. This time, he tries not to think the steps through too much, but instead think about the vase and how he can fix it. _Relax_ , San repeats to himself.

And it seems to finally work, because at his final move, the pieces of the vase somehow glue back together, completely spotless. 

"I did it? I did it!" San laughs in disbelief, and Jongho cheers for him, applauding in excitement.

But then, unexpectedly, a lump forms in the witch's throat, and he feels his breathing quicken unpleasantly. He spaces out as images fill his vision.

  
  


_"Papa! Look, I did it!" San bounced on his feet as he pointed to the pot in the middle of their yard, which had been broken only seconds prior. A simple recovery spell was now another one San could add to the small list of spells he mastered._

_"Good job, San-ah. You're doing so well," His father praised him, smiling fondly as he lifted the small boy in his arms, "I wonder who gifted you these fast learning skills." His father pinched his cheek, making San push his hands away in protest._

_"I think it was mom." San playfully stuck his tongue out to his father._

_"I'm telling your mom you're being mean to your father." And San gasps._

_"You wouldn't!" The older pretended to turn away from him, but San grasped his dad's arm with both of his hands._

_"Papa! Teach me more!"_

_Only seconds later, the lifeless body flashes before his eyes again._

  
  


"San-ssi?" Jongho watches as the witch loses balance and drops to his knees, arms curling around himself. Jongho hurries over, lowering himself so they're on eye-level, "San-ssi, are you okay?"

San tries to speak but his voice betrays him, wavering as he mutters some words that the other witch doesn't quite catch. His breaths are short, hurried. His heart beats rapidly against his ribcage, making it uncomfortable for him to breathe overall. He grips his shirt tighter and looks up at the witch in front of him, the younger looking over him in worry. San tries to speak again but fails, and when tears start to well in his eyes, Jongho seems to get the message. He rubs the witch's arms, trying to calm him as he calls for Yeosang.

Not more than half a minute later — he happened to be back already — the brunet joins them. He sits down next to Jongho in front of San, speaking calmly.

"San, you're panicking. I need you to listen to me. You don't have to say anything out loud, just do as I say, is that okay?" San eyes the older of the two, and nods shortly.

"Focus, okay? First I need you to think of three things you can see, can you do that?"

Three things San can see. The first thing he decides, are the witches in front of him, two people who cared enough about him to take him out to help him practice his long forgotten skill. Two people who he has grown to care for over the time he got to know them. Two people who even care enough to attempt to ground him. The second thing he sees is the wide, grass field they're in right now, the greens beneath his body, always moving. Third, he eyes the vase a few meters away from him, the one he just put back together.

"That's it," Yeosang notices the witch is shaking a little less, "Now, focus on three things you can hear."

Through every task Yeosang gives him, San feels his heavy breathing finally coming down. The short, hurried gasps turn into hiccups every few minutes, but his breathing is fairly under control as Yeosang guides him through the steps.

Eventually, Yeosang gets a hold of San's hands and pulls him to his feet.

"I think it's best to call it a day. Let's get you back to Woo's hut." The witch puts an arm around San's waist to support him.

"I-I'm sorry." Is all San manages to get out, but Yeosang shakes his head.

"Hey, I know this is still hard for you, we can always continue later. You need to calm down and get some rest first."

Yeosang turns to his cousin, still holding San in place, "Jongho, can you warn Wooyoung we'll be in his hut?"

"On it." The witch nods.

  
  
  


"Wooyoung-ah?" Jongho looks around Hongjoong's hut until he spots the lavender haired fairy working at the counter by the big window. The fairy looks up at the call of his name and smiles.

"Jongho, hi!" He greets, but is quick to question, "Wait, why aren't you on the field? Is everything alright?"

"About that, could you come to your hut, please?"

"Why? Did something happen?" Wooyoung now fully turns to the witch, his task forgotten. He frowns.

"It's San-ssi. I think he had a panic attack." Wooyoung's eyes widen at that. He nods quickly, already working on the knot at the back of his apron.

"I'll tell Hongjoong I'm leaving, I'll be right there."

  
  


It doesn't take long for Wooyoung to get to the hut. He finds the three witches there, San sitting on his own bed and the other two standing before him. They look up at the new presence and Wooyoung frowns a little. He kneels down in front of San, resting his arms on the witch's knees as he grabs both hands that lay in his lap, giving them a light squeeze.

"Hey." The fairy says carefully.

"Hi." San exhales, breath shuddering.

"Doing better?"

"A little bit." The witch mutters.

"That's good." Wooyoung smiles softly, thumbs brushing over the backs of San's hands.

Wooyoung looks back at Yeosang and nods. The brunet nods in return, understanding the sign. He tugs at Jongho's arm, leaving the two in the hut together. When Wooyoung turns back to San, the witch is already looking at him. He opens and closes his mouth a few times before he speaks.

"I think- I think it's best if we talk now, Sanie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sum:  
> San goes with Jongho and Yeosang to practice magic. After excelling a spell he gets a flashback that triggers a panic attack. Yeosang helps grounding him and takes him back to Wooyoung's hut. Wooyoung asks him to finally talk about what's going on.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading ♡


	10. Belonging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thank you so much for being here. I appreciate it a ton you've been patient with my updates, since they're very irregular. Apologies again, but I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
> 
> In complete other news, I made a moodboard on pinterest for this fic! Just to get the vibes I'm going for with this :) It's not very full yet, but if anyone wants to check it out, here's the link to it ; https://pin.it/5anpLwk
> 
> ♡

"I think- I think it's best if we talk now, Sanie." The fairy begins.

He notices the way San tenses up at his words, the older lightly squeezing his hands. Wooyoung frowns. He squeezes the witch's hands in return, softer, before he continues.

"I don't want to push you, I really don't, but I want to understand what's going on so I can help you. And I can't if you don't talk to me. Do you trust me, San-ah?" Wooyoung's voice is gentle, as comforting as always.

The witch takes a deep breath, and nods hesitantly, "I-I trust you," barely comes out. The fairy would've missed it if it wasn't for their proximity. 

"Then please, tell me what has been bothering you. Allow me to help you. Please." The last word is said in a whisper, laced with a little desperation.

San sucks in another breath, taking his gaze off the fairy to look at their entwined hands. His eyes stay there as he speaks.

"Did- Did Yeosang tell you anything?" San's voice remains quiet. In the corners of his eyes, he can see Wooyoung shaking his head.

"He hasn't. Though, I already had a feeling he knows more than I do. Being a witch himself and all."

"I-I see," San nods lightly, taking in a deep breath, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Take your time." Wooyoung reassures. The witch nods again, still not looking up. He focuses on his breathing, trying to regulate it, and he hesitates about speaking up a few times, not being able to find the right words or how to start. It takes a couple more minutes, but he finally manages to open up.

"My parents were killed," San's voice wavers as he squeezes his eyes shut, reliving the memory, "It- it happened in my own house. I heard everything, Mom had just tucked me in bed. I-I found them later, too." Though he has to force the words out, he feels a weight falling from his back, not having to keep it a secret any longer.

"Ah." Wooyoung nods, understanding. He tightens the grip on the witch's hands, and waits for San to continue when the witch clears his throat.

"I-I was eleven at the time, and being so young and scared, I did the first thing I could think of. I just ran. Took my blanket with me and ran out of my home and went straight into the forest. I never returned since." Wooyoung frowns.

"Do you know who was behind it?" The fairy asks him, voice still ever so kind, his thumbs brushing over the witch's knuckles in a comforting manner. 

"My parents were known in our area for using their powers for good, helping out others. They were some of the most powerful witches out there, and they have been criticized, probably in jealousy, for not using their powers for greater things. Some heads of other clans envied their powers and I think, those who disrespected them in the past have done it. It would make sense since my parents had been attacked before by those same witches, I remember, but it never went that far. The results were never- Fatal, obviously." 

Wooyoung hums, letting the boy in front of him know he's following. Things are finally falling into place, some of San's actions are starting to make more sense to him.

"It's also why I-I've lost my love for magic," San continues, "Anytime I tried to cast a spell all I could see was my parents and the fights I had to witness and at one point it got too much. I had an attack much like the one today, so I stopped using magic altogether. I blocked most of what I knew because I didn't want to keep getting reminded of what happened," San frowns, "It's been years since I properly cast another spell, so when I finally got something down today it all came crashing down again," The witch takes a shaky breath, "I envisioned my dad, both alive and-" The witch stops there in the hopes the fairy gets it, not wanting to finish his sentence.

Two arms circle around his waist then, San lets out a noise of surprise. The fairy is still in his kneeling position to hug the older, head pressed against his chest.

"Thank you for trusting me, Sanie." Wooyoung speaks softly. At his words, San relaxes and he leans into the touch. He rests his chin on top of the fairy's lavender hair and closes his eyes for a short moment, exhaling deeply.

"I hope you realise leaving you in that forest was never an option to me," Wooyoung says after sitting in silence for a little bit, pulling back slightly to look at the witch, locking eyes with him, "When you told me you had been out there on your own for almost a decade I just couldn't. It'd be cruel, for me to talk about missing home when you haven't had a proper one in so long, and to leave you again once I got back to mine? When I could give you shelter and food to eat instead? I wouldn't have the heart to do so. Even if you said no I would've done anything to try to convince you to come with us."

San's eyes widen at that, taken by surprise. He should've known this is what the fairy is like, having spent the past two weeks at his side and learning more about him. But hearing it, the reassurance, it still feels surreal.

"Do you mean that?" The witch whispers.

Wooyoung tilts his head in question, a small smile on his lips, "Why would I lie to you?"

"I don't know." San shrugs, letting his gaze fall to his side, on the sheets of the bed under him and away from the fairy. With a gentle hand on his chin, however, Wooyoung makes their eyes meet again.

"Give me your hand." Wooyoung instructs, and San gives in. When the fairy links their pinkies together, the brunet smiles for the first time since they got in the hut.

"I promise, San-ah, I'm being completely honest with you. Even if we haven't known each other that long, I care about you. I know it's in my nature to care for and heal, but even if it wasn't, I'd do anything I can to protect those I care about. You wouldn't be an exception to that rule." San can see the determination in the fairy's eyes, and he decides he believes him.

"Thank you. For everything." San mutters. Wooyoung's face softens.

"Would you be okay with talking to my mom? I think she's more than willing to help you, too. To teach you how to cope with your past." Wooyoung offers.

"I think so." The witch agrees, nodding carefully.

"Good," Wooyoung smiles, grasping one of the witch's hands again as he stands up. San looks up at him, "Get some rest, maybe take a nap? I'll go talk to my mom in the meantime." Wooyoung tells him.

"Yeah, okay." San nods. With a quick press of lips against the witch's knuckles, Wooyoung leaves the room. Not wanting to dwell on it much longer right now, San lets himself fall back onto the mattress. He closes his eyes and drifts off mere minutes later.

"San-ah?" The fairy tries hesitantly as he steps back into his hut. It's not a surprise he finds the witch passed out on the spare bed. He smiles at the sight and walks over to carefully lift San's blanket over his shoulders where it slipped off. Satisfied, he walks over to his own bed, grabbing a random book —He really should start finishing his books before beginning with new ones, he notes mentally— and his reading glasses from his nightstand and sits down.

Wooyoung looks over to the other side of the room a last time before he opens his book, letting time pass until the witch wakes up.

San slowly stirs awake about an hour later. He rubs at his eyes and sits up, noticing the fairy's presence right away. Said fairy doesn't seem to be aware San is awake now, though, still deep in his book. Only when Wooyoung takes a quick second to shove his glasses further up his nose, he glances towards the spare bed again, meeting the witch's gaze when he does.

"Sanie, you're up!" Wooyoung closes his book. He moves to sit at the edge of his bed, closer to the other, "Did you sleep well?" San only nods wordlessly.

"Good," Wooyoung smiles, "I spoke to my mother and she has time for you today, she told me she could slip a session in before dinner if you're willing, which is between about now and two hours. Her healing center is just around the corner from here so we can leave whenever you're ready."

"That's okay," San nods in agreement, "Wooyoung?"

The fairy perks up at the mention of his name, "Hmh? What is it?"

"If it's not a bother, could you- Uhm- Would you be okay with joining me? To the session? I-I think I need someone there with me I can trust." San rubs at his nape with one hand, a little nervous, but the fairy smiles again.

"Of course, Sanie. If that'll be more comfortable for you then I'll gladly tag along."

"Thank you, Woo." San returns the smile shyly. He gets up, fixing his slight bed hair and tugs his sweater (A new one Wooyoung bought for him, even though he protested) over his head, ready to leave. They leave Woo's hut a short moment after.

When the two reach the healing center, Wooyoung's mother welcomes them and leads them to a closed off space at the back of the room. Once settled, Wooyoung does as promised and stays closely at San's side through the whole sitting, occasionally squeezing his hand in comfort when needed as they went over the talk they had earlier again.

After planning a schedule for San's meetings, Wooyoung's mother dismisses them, telling them to freshen up and get ready for dinner. With a "I'll see you in a little, kids!" Wooyoung's mother waves them off.

"How do you feel?" Wooyoung starts once they step foot outside of the healing center. The sun is almost set, deep orange meeting dark blue as the evening is near.

"Better, I think. Relieved." San says. He comes to a halt when suddenly the fairy moves in front of him, grabbing him by his cheeks to gently press a kiss against his forehead.

"I'm so proud of you." Wooyoung smiles, cooing at the flush on the witch's face. San doesn't reply.

"If you want me to be there during other sessions, just warn me, okay?" Wooyoung says as they continue their walk.

San nods, "I will."

After sending the witch a small smile, Wooyoung decides to change the topic.

"I'm gonna go help Jongho with dinner, you're coming with?" The moment the fairy's words float in the air, San spots Yeosang and Hongjoong sitting on one of the tree trunks near the Jung's family hut.

"Ah, I'll be right there." Wooyoung looks over his shoulder, following San's line of sight.

"I see," Wooyoung turns back to him, "Please tell Sangie dinner will be ready soon, you can invite Joongie-hyung, too." The fairy suggests as he walks off.

San waves at him and moves into the direction of the couple sitting on the other side of the path.

"Yeosang-hyung?" San interrupts the two. Both the witch and fairy look up at the third voice present.

"San-ah, hey." Yeosang greets him, and Hongjoong waves at the younger, his lips curling up when he recognises the witch.

"Mind if i?" San starts as he points to the trunk the couple are sitting on. Yeosang gets the gesture and moves closer to the fairy to make place for him.

"I wanted to thank you for earlier, in the field today." San says once he sits down.

"Ah, don't worry about it," Yeosang smiles, placing a hand on the witch's shoulder.

"Petal told me about what happened. I hope you're feeling a bit better now, my heart hurt when I heard it." Hongjoong frowns.

"I-I'm doing better, yeah. I actually just got back from Wooyoung's mom, she wants to help me and I'll be seeing her twice a week." San tells the duo.

"So I take it that you've opened up?" Yeosang asks, to which San nods.

"Can we try again tomorrow?" The younger witch asks then, taking Yeosang by surprise.

"You want to try magic again? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I really want to get over this fear, and I know I'm not there yet but, baby steps. I don't want to stall it much longer, I've already been stalling it for a decade." San laughs, shaking his head.

"Well, If you're really sure, I'll inform Jongho to keep tomorrow free. We'll take baby steps." Yeosang gives the younger witch another pat on the shoulder, sharing a smile with him that is reassuring. San feels lighter.

"By the way, Wooyoung told me dinner would be ready in a little bit. Hongjoong-hyung, if you want to you can join us."

"Oh, that would be lovely!" Hongjoong beams, standing up right away. He tugs at the older witch's arm, "Let's get going! I actually didn't realize how hungry I am until dinner was mentioned."

Yeosang gives in, joining the fairy's side, and San stands up aswell. The three boys walk back to the Jung's hut, Hongjoong leading the conversation as they go.

Despite being around the fairies and witches he met the past weeks, San still needs to adjust. The environment is so new to him, and he's still not used to all the kindness and patience he was introduced to once he stepped foot in their town. But it was nice, nothing to deny about that. And the longing feeling of being a part of something, belonging and being cared for, he felt over the past years is slowly starting to fade the longer the stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading ♡


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